Biscuit-handling machine



'March 2 1926. I

W. H. HUNGERFORD s150011* HANDLING MGHINE Filed Deo. :5, 1923 Patented Mar. 2, 1926..

UNITED STATES 1,575,207 PLATE/'NT lorries;

WARREN H. HUNGERFORD, or efficace, ILLINOIS.

BISCUITHANDLING MACHINE.

Appncation mea December 3,.,19'2. serial N. 678,691.

device whereby biscuits or similar objectsr may be sorted or faced 1n such manner that the like sides of each biscuit will face in the same direction in any given series of biscuits or such like articles. Another object is to provide a sorting or facing machine adapted for `use with a biscuit'handling mechanismv wherein itis desired to feed a series of biscuits faced in one 'direction and another series of biscuits faced in the opposite direction, Another object-'is to provide a. biscuit facing or sorting device for. use with biscuit icing machines. Another object is to pro? vide a biscuitf-acing or sorting device particularly adapted foruse witlimachines for making iced sandwiches wherein` each sandwich is formed of a pair of biscuits withlat sides together and rounded sides out with a layer of-icing between the biscuits and bonding them. Other objects will ap pear from time to; time in the course 'of the specification and claims.

`I illustrate my invention more'or lessdiagramn'iatically in the accompanying draw'- ing which represents a vertical longitudine section through my device.

Like parts are illustrated bylike symbols throughout the descriptionk and drawings.

A is any suit'ableho'pper having theend wall A1. The bottom ofthe hopper is shown as formed by the `belt B which is driven from the drive shaft B1 and the-'pulley B2, the power source for wliich'is not herein shown. B3 is a pulley shaftand 'B'i a pulleyat the opposite end of thebelt, the shaft andr pulley'being shownl as adjustable along the slot B5 to vary the inclination of the belt B. l

C is a brush mounted'upon ,the brush shaft Cldriven in opposition to the'vdirection of travel of the belt.

D is a conveyor, herein shownl as al fixed slide, which is adapted to receive cookies deliveered by th'e'belt and to dropfthem between the opposedbrushes D1, Dwhich are rotated in opposition to each other, in the direction shown by the arrows, through the drive shafts Dt", D* from a power source not herein shown. The brushes are verticallyY adjustable, as for yexample along the slot-'s D5, D, "llhese'brusl'ies, vwhich serve to face the cookies, are vnot claimed herein, being covcredrjin my copending application Nd. 6,717,327', filed on the 29th day of Cctober, 1923.

E is a vertically adjustable double faced deflector and El is the adjusting rslot and l2 1sV a securing set screw. The opposed kbrushes D1, D" as they rotate press between tlienrthe 'biscuits which pass through. lf the opposed sides ofthe biscuit are Vflat and parallel, the biscuit will drop straight, but

if one side is plane and the other curved, as

in the tjf'pe of biscuit shown herein, the biscuit kwill. be tiltedk by the action 'ofv the brushes, since it willV tend to take that position which willpermit the opposed brush bristles to approach each other more closely. In practice `the cookie or other object will be tilted tothe posit-ion ofthe cookie grasped between the brushes, as shown in the drawing. A'ln that position its lower edge will be carried to the left vof the dellector E and the cookie will be deposited with its rounded side down on the below described conveying belt F1." lf the cookie shown were turned inthe opposite direction, namely with the, fiat sido to 4the right, it would have been tilted orlturned in the opposite direction and would have been deposited rounded face down upon the conveying belt F.

'l F, 'F 1, arehconveying belts driven about the pulleys F2, F2, F3, F3 in the direction shown` byv the arrows.

, (l is av pivotcd slide element positionedadjacent the outer end off the belt l? and provided with abell crank lever G1 in connec tion withthe solenoid G2. G3 is a second pivoted slide section contacting the lower endfof the slide section G and normally kept in the position shown in full lines by means of the adjuer able counter weight GrA1 which may bei adjusted along the lever G5. G is an electric contactadapted to actuate the solenoid` G2 when the pivoted slide G3 is in the, position shown in the ydotted lines.

H isr a lined terminal slide section adapted toreceive Vthe biscuitsdelivered along the slidcsections G?. H1 is a stop adapted to check the travel ofthe biscuits and to drop them upon the fixed slide H2. H3 is any suitable conveyor or plunger element adapt# cd to be reciprocated across the upper surface of the slide H2 to carry the biscuits therefrom and, for example, to deposit them on the belt M.

Ilo is a reversing guard or slide adjacent the outer end of the belt F1. I is a slide element similar to the element Gr, With the bell crank lever I] and the solenoid I2. I3 is a pivoted slide element similar to the element G and provided ivith the couter iveight I" adjustable along the lever I is au electric terminal or connection which is adapted, when contacted by the slide I3, to actuatc the solenoid I2.

K is a bottom slide section similar to H and is similarly associated with a stop Kl, a fixed slide K2 and a reciprocating element K3.

L, if are receptacles suitably positioned beneath the slide sections Gv and I, mounted, for example, on the frame brackets L2, L3. lD is any suitable hopper or spout positioned above the belt M intermediate the slides H2 and lf2. Mounted Within it is a cylinder P1 and adapted to reciprocate in it is a plunger and piston I which may be actuated by any suitable driving means in such fashion that it is lifted at each stroke above the top of the cylinder to permit the entry into thc cylinder ofthe icing, marshmallow filling or other substance which is to be delivered to the biscuit passing therebeneath.

M is a belt adapted to be driven in the direction shown in the arrow, about the pulleys or rollers hill, Mg by any suitable power source not herein shoivn.

It will be realized that While I have shown an operative device, many changes might be made in the size, shape, proportion, relation and disposition of parts Without departing from the spiritV of my invention, and I therefore Wish my description and drawings to be taken as in a large sense diagrammatic.

The use and operation of my invention are as follows:

I have illustrated a biscuit feeding and sorting means which comprises a biscuit containing hopper into Which biscuits may be fed by hand or in any other suitable Way. The hopper contains an inclined belt which carries the biscuits upwardly against a brush ivhich is rotated in opposition to the direction of movement of the belt. By controlling the speed of brush and belt, and the inclination of the belt. it is possible to control the volume of biscuits fed. The brush C also serves to prevent the passage of superposed pairs of biscuits to the slide D and the facing brushes. The passage of such pairs of biscuits simultaneously through the brushes ivould prevent proper facing although of course. a number of biscuits can be simultaneously faced if they are axially spaced along the brushes. The biscuits are fed to the slide D and thence dropped betiveen the facing or sorting brushes. These brushes, and the deflector or guide E, deliver the biscuits rounded side down upon the conveyor belts F, F1. hose which Wall upon the conveyor belt F are delivered thereby to the slide elements G, G3 and H, over which they pass to the iixed plate H2. From this plate the biscuits which are successively deposited thereupon after their descent down the slide lare removed, for example by the plunger H which reciprocatcs back and forth across the upper surface of the plate. 'lhey'may thus be fed to any suitable biscuit handling device and may be carried thence to or through any suitable type of iccr. I have shovvn, however, an endless belt M which passes beneath au icing or marslunalloiv delivering hopper or nozzle l. The belt ii is preferably, though not necessarily, given a step by step movement aud the rcciprocation of the clement H3 is in such case timed to deliver a biscuit to the belt M at cach step of the movement of the belt. rllhe series of biscuits thus delivered to the top of the belt M is carried beneath the icing spout L4 and receives a coat of icing on its upivztrdly turned flat side.

yliieanwhiie t-he biscuits delivered to the belt l*l`1 are reversed by the reversing slide element Ilo and pass fiat side down over the slide elementsI, I3 and K to the fixed slide Ig. Thence they are projected by the reciprocating element K3 and are delivered, for example, to the top of the belt lvl. The slides K2, Hrz and the icing spout LA1 may be so spaced and the step by step movement of the belt M and the reciprocation of the arms H3 aud K3 may be so timed that as each iced biscuit passes beneath and beyond the plate K2 it receives a biscuit upon it flat side down. delivered by the element K3.

However, Since the feed of biscuits from the belts F and F1 may not be equal, I provide a control for the feed of biscuits to the iixed plates K2 and H2 and to prevent the accumulation of biscuits on said plates which would. interfere With the timed delivery ot' biscuits therefrom. I put in each slide a pivoted slide section, in the one case G3 and in the other I3, which are normally kept, by the adjustingv weights G4 and It, in the position shoivn in the full lines. lVhen an excess of biscuits is fed to either slide, it drops in response to their weight against the terminal G6 or IG, and actuates the solenoid G2 or I2, which is adapted to raise the bell crank lever G1 or Il respectively. During this interruption to the feed, the biscuits are fed through the break or breaks thus formed, and are received in the receptacles L, L1. Thence they may be periodically removed and reinserted into the hopper A. The

Erni

lllf) igmfoaov Weight of thc-bell cranklever I1 or G1 is sufficient to lioldthe slide element G or I normally in the position shown in the full lines.

IVl'aile I have described and shown my sorting device as used for making biscuit sandwiches, -iil is obvious that -it is l equally applicable-to the production of iced biscuits or of biscuits covered With marshmallow or any other surfacing or covering. y In .1. In a biscuit handling device, a biscuit feeding means, a biscuit facing means adapted to deliverl a series ofbisctiits each With the saine side facing up, `means for dividf ing the biscuits delivered by said facing means into a plurality of series, meansy for conveying said seriesalong separate paths, means for reversing .the kfacing of'all of the biscuits of one of said series only.

2. Ink a vbiscuit handling device, a biscuit feeding means, a biscuit facingy means adapted to deliver a series of biscuitseach with the same side facing up, means for dividing the biscuits delivered by said facing means into a plurality of series, means for conveying said series along separate paths, means `for reversing the facing-of all ofthe biscuits of one of said series and means for bringing said biscuit series together and for superposing upon the biscuits of one of said series bircuits from the other of said series.

3. In a biscuit handling device, a biscuit feeding means, a biscuit facing means adapted to deliver a series of biscuits each with the same side facing up, means for dividing ed to deliver a series of biscuits each with the same side facing up, means for dividing the biscuits delivered by said facing means into a plurality of series, means for conveying said series along separate paths, means for reversing the facing of all of the biscuits of one of said series, a biscuit coating eleinent, and means for subjecting the biscuits of one of said series successively to its action, and means for superposing upon the biscuits so treated biscuits from the other series.

5. In a biscuit handling device, a biscuit feeding means, a. biscuit facing means adapted to deliver a series of biscuits each with the same `sidefacing up, means fordividing tl'iebiscuifts delivered bysa-id facing lmeans into a plurality of series, means for conveying said series along separate paths, means for reversing the facing of all of the biscuits ofioneof said series, a conveyor and a biscuitV coating element located therealong, means for successively depositing the biscuits of one of said series upon the conveyor, means for actuating said conveyor to carry said biscuits successively past the coating element and means for snperposing upon the biscuits yso 'coated biscuits from Vthe other series. f

6. Iii a biscuit handling device, a biscuit feeding means, a biscuit facing means adapted to .deliver a series of biscuits each with the saine side facing up, meansl for dividing the biscuits (,eliveied by said facing means into a plurality of series, means for conveying said series along separate paths, means for reversing the facing ofl all of the biscuits cf one of said series, a biscuit coating element, and means for subjecting` the biscuits of said lseries successively to its action.

7. In a biscuit handling device, a biscuit feeding means, a biscuit facing means adapted to deliver a series of biscuits. each with the same side facing up, lmeans for dividing the biscuits delivered by said facing means into a plurality of series, means for conveying said seriesalong separate paths, an separate means for limiting the passageV of biscuits along each of said paths.

8. In a biscuit handling device, a biscuit feeding means, a biscuit facing means adapted to deliver a series of biscuits each with the sanieside'facing up, means fordividing the biscuits delivered by said facing means into a plurality of series, means for convey` ing said series along separate paths, means for reversing the facing of all of the biscuits Vof one only of said series, and separate means for limitingl the passage of biscuits along each of said paths.

9. In a biscuit handling device, a biscuit feeding means, a biscuit facing means adapted to deliver a series of biscuits each with the same side facing up, means for dividing the biscuits delivered by said facing means into a plurality of.' series, means for conveying said series along separate paths, and separate `means for limiting the passage of biscuits along each of said paths.

10. In a biscuit handling device, a biscuit feeding means, a biscuit facing means adapted to deliver a series of biscuits each with the same side facing up, means for dividing 1l. In a biscuit handling device, a biscuit feeding means, a biscuit facing means adapted to deliver a series of biscuits each With the saine side facing up, a plurality of conveyors, each conveyor adapted to receive and separately convey a portion of the biscuits delivered by said facing means, a reversing element adapted to reverse the facing of the biscuits carried by one only of said c0nveyors.

12. In a biscuit handling device, a biscuit feeding means, a biscuit facing means adapted to deliver a series of biscuits each with the same side facing up, a plurality of conveyors, each conveyor adapted to receive and separately convey a portion of the biscuits delivered by said facing means, and means for limiting the delivery of biscuits conveyed by each of said conveyors, comprising a cutoff element and means for actuating it in response to a predetermined load of biscuits upon said conveyor.

13. In a biscuit handling device, a biscuit feeding means, a biscuit facing means adapted to deliver a series of biscuits cach Vwith the same side facing up, a plurality of conveyors, each conveyor adapted to receive and separately convey a portion of the biscuits delivered by said facing means, and means for limiting the delivery of biscuits con veyed by each of said conveyors, comprising a cut-off element and means for actuating it comprising a movable section in said conveyor, a solenoid and an electric contact therefor adapted to be contacted by said movable section in response to a pie-determined load of biscuits thereupon.

14. In a biscuit handling device, a biscuit feeding means, a biscuit facing means adapt" ed to deliver a series of biscuits each'ivith the same side facing up, a plurality of conveyors, each conveyor adapted to receive and separately convey a portion of the bis cuits delivered by said facing means, and means for limiting the delivery of biscuits conveyed by each of said conveyors, coinprising a cut-ofi' element and means for ac tuating it comprising a movable section in said conveyor, a solenoid and an electric contact therefor adapted to be contacted by said movable section in response to a pre-determined load of biscuits thereupon, and means for normally maintaining said movable section out ofy contact with said contact.

l5. In a. biscuit handling device, a biscuit feeding means,='a biscuit facing means adapted to deliver a series of biscuits each with the saine side facing up, a plurality of conveyors, each conveyor adapted to receive and separately convey a portion of the biscuits delivered by Said facing means, and means for limiting the delivery of biscuits conveyed by each of said conveyors, comprising a cut-off element and means for actuating it comprising a movable section in said conveyor, a solenoid and an electric contact therefor adapted to be contacted by said movable section in response to a pre-determined load of biscuits thereupon, and means for normally maintaining said movable section out of contact with said contact comprising a. lever and a Weight adjustable therealong.

Signed at Chicago, county of Cook and State of Illinois, this 28 day of Nov., 1923.

IVARREN I-I. I-IUNGERFORD. 

